WHAT KIND OF FOOTWEAR DO I HAVE TO WEAR WHEN I DRIVE?

WHAT KIND OF FOOTWEAR DO I HAVE TO WEAR WHEN I DRIVE?

A simple answer would be ‘it’s OK to wear anything!’. In Queensland, there is actually no legal requirement for a driver to wear footwear, or any particular kind of footwear, while driving.

We all wear footwear (some none) and the type of footwear can vary depending on where we’re going and what we’re wearing at the time. It goes without saying that some choices of footwear may affect the way you drive. Stilettos, wellingtons, football boots or a pair of thongs all have their unique purposes, but can present a challenge when driving, especially when learning to drive.

However, if an accident was to occur and it was found that the cause of the accident was due to inappropriate or lack of footwear, it could be an offence under:

Transport Operations – Road Use Management—Road Rules Regulation 2009 - 297 - Driver to have proper control of a vehicle etc.

(1) A driver must not drive a vehicle unless the driver has proper control of the vehicle.  Maximum penalty—20 penalty units. (#note – 20 penalty units equates to a $2,277.00 fine)

This may include the wearers of high heel shoes, stilettos, bare feet and any other footwear if it was found that a driver was to drive without proper control of a vehicle and the inappropriate choice of footwear contributed to a driving offence or accident.

A driver in Bunbury, WA was approaching a pedestrian crossing when someone was crossing the road. The driver naturally went to press the brake pedal, however her foot somehow slipped off the brake pedal and hit the accelerator pedal instead, causing the car to shoot forward and hit the pedestrian. This resulted in a broken hip for the pedestrian, and years of physiotherapy treatment to cope with the injury.

In Elizabeth, SA, a young driver driving a very old Holden turned a corner and began to accelerate. The driver was wearing extremely worn shoes with a hole in the right sole, and somehow that hole became caught on the end of the accelerator pedal (the footrest part of the pedal had previously broken away) causing the driver to try and shake his foot free. That caused the car to accelerate erratically and in doing so, the driver lost control of the car and ran into an above-ground fire hydrant. We can only imagine the sight of a burst hydrant spraying vast quantities of water up under the engine of the car.

So, what kind of footwear is best to wear when driving? It is generally regarded that wearing shoes with reasonably thin soles that are not too wide will help you feel relaxed and actually help you with control of the vehicle. In particular, you should be able to control the brake and accelerator pedals with your heel resting comfortably on the floor.

Here is a link to an interesting newspaper article on the subject of footwear for driving.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/motoring/road-safety/9517409/Choosing-the-right-driving-shoes.html

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